Penticton rehab centre slated for March 1 opening

A recovery centre that faced some controversy in Penticton late last year is holding the grand opening of its first location in Coquitlam next week, with a Penticton opening in March.

Brandon Jansen Recovery Centre Inc. is holding its grand opening for the first recovery centre on Feb. 21 in Coquitlam, according to a news release from the organization, after it faced turbulence in Penticton for its first planned recovery centre.

“As you may recall, our first Penticton location was shut down by four neighbours who banded together to purchase teh property from underneath us,” organization director Michelle Jansen said in a statement. “A telltale sign that stigma is still a huge barrier during this opioid crisis.”

The Penticton recovery centre, which has found a new location, is expected to open up on March 1, “followed closely by centres in Osoyoos and Vernon.”

“As a result of the media stories surrounding this, many property owners reached out to Brandon Jansen Recovery Centre Inc. to offer their real estate to support our recovery centre initiative,” Jansen’s statement reads.

The Penticton opening comes just days before March 7, the second anniversary of Jansen’s son’s death to an overdose.